“I feel it’s my task to really open people’s eyes up to energy conservation and energy savings,” Gardner said. “I really believe Republicans deep down are conservationists and that this is a real fit.”

But the nation’s fiscal situation makes the future of energy efficiency funding murky, Gardner said. As Republicans look to make cuts, spending for energy efficiency programs might fall under the budget guillotine.

On top of that, the expectation in Washington is that Congress will tackle tax reform next year. That effort could threaten financing for energy efficiency programs that are supported by carve-outs in the tax code.

“I think right now all bets are off when it comes to knowing for sure what’s going to happen,” Gardner said.

Mosher said the Alliance to Save Energy would be involved in those discussions, as well as the “fiscal cliff” talks that might carry implications for energy efficiency programs. President Obama and congressional leaders are working on a deal to avoid those automatic spending cuts and income tax increases set to take effect Jan. 1.

“There’s not going to be many legislative days on the calendar remaining, but we’re going to be monitoring those because sequestration means an 8.2 percent cut to energy efficiency programs,” Mosher said.

The building codes did not survive, however. While the larger bill was added as a rider to another that improved energy efficiency in certain appliances, the building codes measure was stripped.

Though Republicans are very much supportive of ideas for cutting the deficit, Gardner said getting House GOP members to approve new energy efficiency standards “would be a difficult task.”

With Capitol Hill’s political calculus remaining largely intact next year, Mosher said he does not anticipate a shift in policy approach on energy efficiency.

Mosher said that is why losing people like Lugar, along with retiring Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), hurts. He fears energy efficiency might become less of a priority next Congress without some of the issue’s heavy lifters returning.

But there also is plenty of room for hope, Mosher said. The Alliance to Save Energy already is vetting incoming lawmakers and setting up meetings with their staffs to press the issue and gain support.